🔴 Live: Protester’s hand blown off by police grenade as unions say half a million march across France

Live: Protester’s hand blown off by police grenade as unions say half a million march across France A protester's hand was blown off by a police crowd-control grenade on Saturday as the nationwide demonstrations against the higher cost of living and school conditions turned violent. According to France’s biggest trade union, the CGT, more than half a million people are taking part in the protests. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates. Paris mayor condemns vandalism during protests Paris’s Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire has condemned the vandalism that has plagued the protests in the city, saying the “vast majority” of the demonstrators are “marching peacefully”. 📸 Paris march in pictures "Sick government, sick society," the sign says. "Macron big bastard," the banner says. "How to follow classes with one less eye?" the signs says, referring to police brutality. Photos: Pauline Rouqette, FRANCE 24 Union says 500,000 turn out across France for cost-of-living protests France’s biggest trade union, CGT, said more than 500,000 people have joined the nationwide protests. Protester has hand blown off by police grenade in Saint-Étienne A French protester has had their hand blown off by a police crowd-control grenade, a police source told AFP. ‘France has equality problems,’ ‘and ‘politicians lie’, protesters say “For years we’ve had climate, economy and equality problems but the government is not doing anything about it,” said Agnes, a 50-year-old actor who did not give her second name, as she marched in Paris. High school student Kamil Alahyan, 18, said he was protesting “for so many reasons—the elections coming up in 2027, politicians who lie, the ultra-rich who’ve been taking more and more wealth over the past 10 years”. 📸 In pictures: Protesters break into Lille town hall Masked protesters stand in front of Lille’s town hall. The protesters smashed the glass doors as they forced their way in. Photo: AFP According to AFP, the protesters were removed from the town hall within a few minutes, but they still had time to do some damage. Photo: AFP 📸 Protesters clash with police in Lille Masked protesters set up makeshift barricades in Lille. A standoff in Lille between young, masked protesters and helmeted police officers. Photos: AFP Protesters clash with police in Brussels Several hundred mostly young people are also protesting in Brussels, where rioters have clashed with police in unrest partly inspired by the demonstrations in neighbouring France. Belgian student groups have said they are protesting against rising education costs and reforms they fear will make higher education less accessible. Many of the demonstrators are wearing masks and chanting anti-fascist slogans. Police is using tear gas and water cannon, while some protesters have overturned a car, according to a Reuters witness. Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin said in a post on X that “what is unfolding in Brussels is no longer mere protest” and “all necessary means will be used to restore order in the face of the rioters”. Protesters in Lille force their way into town hall Protesters have forced their way into the town hall of France’s northern city of Lille and vandalised the premises before leaving, an AFP photographer said. Riot police within minutes confirmed that all the protesters had left. The violent intrusion came hours after protesters in the southern city of Marseille rammed their way into the town hall there before being forced out by police. Number of arrests near 300 At least 272 people had been arrested across France by mid-afternoon, the Interior Ministry said. Marine Le Pen accuses far-left of legitimising violence Far-right politician Marine Le Pen has also taken to social media, accusing the far left of legitimising violence and holding the demonstrators’ demands “hostage”. “Legitimate social demands have once again been held hostage by the far left and the speeches of Jean-Luc Mélenchon's deputies, who, by legitimising violence, viewing order as oppression and disorder as a right, seek to plunge the country into chaos.” Scuffles and fires break out in in Paris, Lyon and Marseille A car and a newspaper kiosk were set on fire on Paris’ Place de la République as police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse violent groups of protesters. In Lyon, France’s third largest city, fire broke out inside a tourist office. Smoke and flames were seen rising from the building. In the southern port city of Marseille, some shops and a municipal police station were damaged, while some protesters briefly forced their way into the lobby of City Hall. Some 140 protests across France by midday, at least 166 arrests, interior minister says Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez's office said authorities had recorded 140 protests outside the Paris region by midday, involving over 30,000 people. Authorities reported at least 166 arrests across the country. Far-left leader Mélenchon slams media coverage of protests In a post on X, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of the far-left France Unbowed party, slammed the media coverage of protests, accusing news platforms of focusing on the violence rather than the “tens of thousands of people “who have calmly mobilised”. “Two worlds, two realities,” he wrote. Two Paris marches, two routes The student-led march set off this morning at 11am local time, from Place de la République in central Paris and ended at Nation. The second march, led by Yellow Wests and several labour unions, began at 2pm – also from République and will end at Place de Clichy. The marches are not allowed to pass through Bastille or Opéra, which was the original plan for both routes. 📸 French protesters set tourism office ablaze in Lyon A building hosting a tourist office has been set ablaze in the city of Lyon, French broadcaster BFMTV reports. Photo: Jeff Pachoud, AFP Who is protesting and what do they want? Today’s demonstrations are mainly staged by students who have in the past few weeks staged violent protests over what they call “deplorable” school conditions and police brutality. They have been joined by the Yellow Wests who are protesting the rising cost of living in France. The CGT, one of France’s major labor unions, has also backed the demonstrations, calling for “higher wages and pensions, lower prices and the protection of public services that meet people’s needs”. On the sidelines of the rallies is the anti-capitalist Black Blocs movement -- the group seeks to exploit the general unrest to vandalise and cause havoc. Paris march has started Police confiscate face masks and other anti-tear gas gear Paris protesters are not allowed to bring face masks or any other equipment to protect them from tear gas, FRANCE 24’s Pauline Rouquette reports from the demonstration in Paris. "That's a no!" a gendarme officer told a young girl when he found a face mask in her bag during a security screening on the sidelines of the protest. "The physio serum [used to rinse the eyes when tear gas is used], same thing!" (FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters) Keywords for this article